Match the Size! Worksheet

EcoExposure Kids · Teaching sizes for plastic fragments and everyday objects

Illustration, not to scale. Sizes are teaching values.

1. Plastic fragment: Polymer cluster — 1 nm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Human hair (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Water molecule (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Red blood cell (Illustration, not to scale.)
2. Plastic fragment: Nanosphere — 10 nm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Virus (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Sesame seed (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Water molecule (Illustration, not to scale.)
3. Plastic fragment: Nanosheet — 50 nm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Sesame seed (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Virus (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Ant (Illustration, not to scale.)
4. Plastic fragment: Nanofragment — 100 nm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Ant (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Virus (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Sesame seed (Illustration, not to scale.)
5. Plastic fragment: Nanofiber — 500 nm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Human hair (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Pollen grain (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Bacterium (Illustration, not to scale.)
6. Plastic fragment: Fine microfragment — 1 µm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Water molecule (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Bacterium (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Grain of sand (Illustration, not to scale.)
7. Plastic fragment: Microbead — 10 µm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Red blood cell (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Grain of table salt (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Dust mite (Illustration, not to scale.)
8. Plastic fragment: Microfiber — 50 µm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Sesame seed (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Human hair (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Virus (Illustration, not to scale.)
9. Plastic fragment: Coarse microfragment — 100 µm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Human hair (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Bacterium (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Virus (Illustration, not to scale.)
10. Plastic fragment: Foam fragment — 500 µm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Grain of sand (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Red blood cell (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Pollen grain (Illustration, not to scale.)
11. Plastic fragment: Larger fragment — 1 mm
Illustration, not to scale.
Which everyday object is closest in size?
- A.Red blood cell (Illustration, not to scale.)
- B.Water molecule (Illustration, not to scale.)
- C.Grain of sand (Illustration, not to scale.)

Research challenge

Name an everyday object, estimate its size, and give a source. No name or email needed.

Object: _______________________________

Estimated size: _______________ unit: _______

Source (link or book): _______________________________

Note: _________________________________________________

Answer key (for teacher)

Do not show this to students until after they answer. Everyday object sizes are hidden on the questions. Salt is a distractor. Version 20261023.

1. Polymer cluster (1 nm = 1 nm)
Closest: B. Water molecule (0.3 nm = 0.3 nm)
One molecule of water is tiny—about 0.3 nanometers. You need billions to make a drop!
2. Nanosphere (10 nm = 10 nm)
Closest: A. Virus (100 nm = 100 nm)
Viruses are so small you need a special microscope. Teaching size: 100 nanometers.
3. Nanosheet (50 nm = 50 nm)
Closest: B. Virus (100 nm = 100 nm)
Viruses are so small you need a special microscope. Teaching size: 100 nanometers.
4. Nanofragment (100 nm = 100 nm)
Closest: B. Virus (100 nm = 100 nm)
Viruses are so small you need a special microscope. Teaching size: 100 nanometers.
5. Nanofiber (500 nm = 500 nm)
Closest: C. Bacterium (2 µm = 2,000 nm)
Bacteria are tiny living things. Chart range is 1–5 µm; we use 2 µm for matching.
6. Fine microfragment (1 µm = 1,000 nm)
Closest: B. Bacterium (2 µm = 2,000 nm)
Bacteria are tiny living things. Chart range is 1–5 µm; we use 2 µm for matching.
7. Microbead (10 µm = 10,000 nm)
Closest: A. Red blood cell (8 µm = 8,000 nm)
Red blood cells carry oxygen in your blood. Chart range is 7–8 µm; we use 8 µm.
8. Microfiber (50 µm = 50,000 nm)
Closest: B. Human hair (100 µm = 100,000 nm)
A single human hair is wider than many microplastics. Chart range is 50–100 µm; we use 100 µm.
9. Coarse microfragment (100 µm = 100,000 nm)
Closest: A. Human hair (100 µm = 100,000 nm)
A single human hair is wider than many microplastics. Chart range is 50–100 µm; we use 100 µm.
10. Foam fragment (500 µm = 500,000 nm)
Closest: A. Grain of sand (500 µm = 500,000 nm)
A grain of sand is about the size of the larger plastic pieces. Chart range is 500 µm–2 mm; we use 500 µm.
11. Larger fragment (1 mm = 1,000,000 nm)
Closest: C. Grain of sand (500 µm = 500,000 nm)
A grain of sand is about the size of the larger plastic pieces. Chart range is 500 µm–2 mm; we use 500 µm.

This chart calls pieces under 1 µm nanoplastics, and pieces from 1 µm to 1 mm microplastics.